June 7 Health Systems DIR Fees APhA, others file federal lawsuit against HHS to close DIR loophole PT June 2021 APhA, its pharmacy partners, and community pharmacies have long argued that PBMs working with Medicare Part D plan sponsors’ use of retroactive direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees cheats beneficiaries, forces pharmacies to close their doors, and endangers access to pharmacist-provided care. Rachel Balick
June 7 Health Systems On The Docket Pharmacist sues employer for sexual harassment by customers PT June 2021 Federal and state laws create a mechanism for employees to sue their employers for failing to provide protection from sexual harassment. David B. Brushwood, BSPharm, JD
June 7 Health Systems MRSA Research attempts to fill knowledge gap for vancomycin loading dose practice PT June 2021 It may surprise some pharmacists that the practice of using vancomycin loading doses is not currently supported by robust clinical evidence. Corey Diamond, PharmD
June 7 Health Systems Opioids Improving outcomes in opioid-associated cardiac arrest PT June 2021 As opioid misuse has risen across the United States, so has opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which has unique clinical features and management implications, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA). Maria G. Tanzi, PharmD
June 7 Health Systems 340B Pharmacists play critical roles in 340B viability PT June 2021 In the early months of 2021, when COVID-19 vaccines were finally available in the United States, creative community outreach programs such as mobile health units were gaining a foothold in underserved communities where COVID-19 vaccination access was low. Loren Bonner
June 7 Health Systems Antibiotic Stewardship Panel finds widespread inappropriate use of antibiotics in U.S. hospitals PT June 2021 In the United States, 77% of all UTIs and 47% of all communityacquired pneumonias (CAP) are treated inappropriately in the hospital setting, according to an expert panel convened by the Pew Charitable Trust in 2018 to evaluate antibiotic use in hospitals. Joey Sweeney, PharmD, BCPS
June 7 Health Systems Trending Topics in Health-System Pharmacy Inpatient Insights PT June 2021 Trending Topics in Health-System Pharmacy
July 7 Health Systems Policy Roundup DIR reform, supply chain security, and more PT July 2021 Regardless of where you live, the action in Washington, DC, affects you, your patients, and your practice. Get up to speed on the latest news from federal agencies, Congress, and the White House. Rachel Balick
July 7 Health Systems On The Docket Court considers malpractice liability of pharmacy technician PT July 2021 Pharmacy technicians may be held liable for malpractice when they breach their duty to patients. A legal case illustrates how miscommunication and a distrustful perspective can serve as the basis for malpractice liability of a pharmacy technician. David B. Brushwood, BSPharm, JD
July 7 Health Systems Smart Pumps Make smart pumps work harder to keep patients safe PT July 2021 Smart pump errors, which involve both human and technical factors, can cause injury or death to patients. Fatigue and distractions plague many busy patient care units and frequently contribute to smart pump errors. Joey Sweeney, PharmD, BCPS